10 Sleep Tips Inspired By Chinese Medical Theory

Lack of sleep leads to a whole host of possible health problems – such as heart disease, obesity, depression, and ulcers. It also reduces how productive we are at work. Here’s ten simple tips from traditional Chinese medical theory to enjoy better quality sleep.

Drink green tea instead of coffee in the morning

Drinking green tea on a daily basis is a lot better for your overall health than coffee. Green tea is very high in antioxidants. It has less then half the amount of caffeine then coffee has, so it wont keep you up all night.

Go to sleep every night at 10:30 P.M

In traditional Chinese medical theory it is believed that 10:30 P.M. is the best time for a full cycle of sleep. Because at 11:00 the Qi in the liver regenerates itself, in Chinese medical theory the liver controls a lot of our emotions.

Do NOT drink very cold water

According to traditional Chinese medical theory your body has to work extra hard to heat up the cold water you are drinking. So if you drink really cold water at night, your body is working on overdrive and it over-stimulates your body causing you to stay awake.

Walk around barefoot

Walking around barefoot naturally balances the energy in the body. Being barefoot helps to clear your mind and naturally reconnect with yourself. In traditional Chinese medical theory, it is believed that it massages the meridian points in the feet which are correlated with sleep

Get acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat insomnia in China. In China, it is one of the first treatments given to a patient to improve the quality of their sleep.

Self massage your feet

According to Chinese medicine basic foot massages open up your meridian pathways and help you become more relaxed and calm.

Chrysanthemum is a light yellowish flower that has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine for insomnia. In China, they drink it on a daily basis to help maintain a healthy liver.

Avoid over-stimulating food

Hot peppers, alcohol, and coffee overstimulate the nervous system causing an imbalance in the liver, which will disrupt your sleep.

Block out all the light in your room

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, if you place your hand twelve inches in front of your face and you can clearly see it, then your room is not dark enough. Try to remove any electronics in your room that have bright lights, to make the room darker.

Meditate

If you’re tossing and turning in your bed, try to get up and meditate. You can even practice meditation while lying in bed by bringing awareness to your breathing. Focus on breathing from your abdomen, it will help bring your attention away from anxious thoughts.

There are plenty of meditation techniques from different religious and secular traditions. Find one that you’re most comfortable with.